The present invention relates to a device for automatically rolling up media sheets and, more particularly, to an apparatus incorporated into a document reproduction machine which automatically rolls up output sheets into a tubular form within a removable roll-up device.
There are in the prior art, copying applications wherein copies reproduced from an original document are required to be scrolled into a spiral configuration for convenient handling and storage. Typical of such applications are the reproduction of wide format documents such as engineering drawings and the like. The Xerox 2510 copier is one example of such prior art reproduction machine.
The 2510 copier operator inserts a copy sheet into a registration position and then introduces an original to be copied into a continuous velocity transport device. The original document, as it emerges from the exposure zone, must be manually retrieved. The output copy may either be retrieved manually, or allowed to fall onto a support table or the like. The output copy may also be automatically rolled up for subsequent removal by a mechanism of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,345 assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. The roll-up device disclosed in that patent incorporates a roll-up assembly comprising a curved baffle arrangement with drive rollers positioned along the circumference. The output copy is moved along a spiral path on the interior surface of the roll-up assembly. Upon completion of the roll-up, and taping operation, the assembly is pivotally opened and the rolled-up, taped, output copy removed.
An alternate roll-up device is disclosed in copending U.S. application Ser. No. 07/155,445, filed on Feb. 12, 1988now U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,497. This application discloses an output copy roll-up station wherein a plurality of flexible, circular guide members are aligned perpendicular to the path of the copy sheet movement. The copy sheets are scrolled up within a circular interior space formed by the guide members. The guides are designed to expand radially outward along their width to accommodate the increasing area of successively rolled-up output sheets. Other examples of roll-up assemblies designed to roll-up output sheets are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,551,866 (Bevins et al) and U.S. Pat. No. 3,498,559 (Sames).
With the prior art arrangements described above, it is necessary for an operator to manually remove each copy or copies from the copy roll-up assembly, and either file or store the copies or make some further disposition. In the assembly disclosed in the Sames patent, the operator must remove and replace the same roll-up assembly. These operations and functions reduce throughput since the time taken to handle the output copies subtracts from the time the operator can be feeding originals into the exposure station. It would, therefore, be desirable to have a copy output station capable of automatically rolling up one or more original copies, during a copy operation and providing a means for removing the rolled-up copies without any adverse impact on throughput time. Such a copy station is realized in the present invention by providing a roll-up "C" ring which is movably mounted at the output station. The ring can permit scrolling up of a plurality of outputs sheets within a central area. When the particular copy operation is terminated, the ring is easily detached and replaced immediately by a second ring. While the next copy operation proceeds, the operator is then free to further remove the document from the ring, store the ring, etc., or simply allow a plurality of rolled-up documents to accumulate until all can be conveniently removed. The present invention is, more particularly, directed to an apparatus for rolling one or more media sheets into a tubular configuration, the apparatus including, means for accepting said media sheets from a media output station and for feeding said sheets into a roll-up assembly, the roll-up assembly including; at least one semicircular retractable guide member forming an interior roll-up space; a "C" ring centered along the same axis as said guide member in a roll-up location, roller means for scrolling said sheet within the circular space formed by said "C" ring and retractable guide member, and means for retracting said guide member so as to disengage contact with said sheet whereby said sheet is maintained in a rolled-up configuration within said "C" ring, said "C" ring becoming detached and free to be moved to another location.